Deepi Harish

I write things.
I edit things.
I market things.
And I bake things.
Check me out at diningwithdeepi | facebook | instagram
I dole hacks & substitutions on how to troubleshoot baking recipes. I also give out the world's BEST banana bread recipes in a regular, gluten free and vegan version.

I went through this phase where I baked the most simple, one-bowl-baking, f*ck up proof banana bread recipes, just so there was a sweet floating smell that took over my home before friends came over. It made me very popular ... and fat.

The ultimate goal for culinary creators would be to come up something deliciously sweet without the calories or guilt. Imagining inhaling a Paula Dean's dessert (she came up with a Krispy Kreme pudding) that came with one third of the calories and was made from nothing but superfoods? For now, that idea is as real as the fairy tales we tell children under four.

A few nights ago, a swanky hotel in Toronto hosted a Chocolate Chip Cookie Battle. I would be stupid not to go. All the cookies sampled varied in their level of decadence. None of them disappointed. Each of the cookie connoisseurs told me that the recipe used to make their classic chocolate chip cookie was one that they had been using for over a decade. At this point, their recipes no longer needed tweaking, because to them they had the technique and ingredients down, therefore creating the perfect recipe. But I needed to know their secrets. So I asked.

Young people are obsessed with colours, food is colourful, which means it creates great still shots. Millennials aren't obsessed with food as much as they are taking pictures of it for social engagement. Since smartphone owners and purchasers of photo editing apps and filters are still dominated by youngins, it's almost impossible for this generation to not be able to take salivating photos, upload them to social media and connect with the rest of the world. Social media is changing the way they eat, maybe even the way we non-millennials eat.

Whenever I've gotten a break in life, it's because I put myself out there and seized an opportunity, without weighing the cons first. Taking risks, looking for hidden opportunities and being a doer - these are things that put you in a better position to get lucky.

So much of what we eat is done with our eyes first. We want our food to look like the flavours that best represent them. With so many naturally beautiful coloured foods available to us, it's not difficult to create our own food colouring without powdering bugs.

This means you can no longer send (or receive) copied and pasted complex, multi-syllable words in text form to the person you're chatting up. You actually have to use your words and your voice to articulate what you're saying, similar to having a real conversation. Remember, those days?

While living solo in Bali, I was able to throw in a five day trip to Thailand or take off on a mapless scooter adventure in search of natural infinity pools overlooking postcard landscapes, when I wanted to. Traveling alone allows you to change your circumstances on a whim, where the only thing that matters is making yourself happy, and growing a pair to do something bold on your own.

Everyone could use a little "me" time. Toronto has some sweet places to splurge on that "me" time, and I do mean splurge. Recently, I tested out three luxury spas and their signature services to see...

There are plenty of write-ups on life hacks out there, and just as many on baking hacks. The difference is that these ones actually work. So for all of you Martha Stewart wannabes, dorm room dwellers who get the hankering for something freshly baked or busy parents that survive on hacks because life is busy, this is for you.

It's true that coworking spaces have freed industries from the confines of cubicles, however certain industries crave privacy and quietness to get their work done. Some jobs are meant to be done in solitude. To name a few: actuaries, political scientists, paralegals, medical record technicians, accountants and technical writers.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to fancy gala and immediately dismissed the invite because I'm not fancy. However, a dear friend convinced me to attend and take her as my plus one. The event celebrated Canada's leading female entrepreneurs with a cocktail evening where the winner of the Business Women Award (BWA) and New Generation Award (NGA) were to be selected and announced.

India is obsessed with skin colour. India's skin bleaching business racks in over 450 million a year! Fair & Lovely, a skin whitening brand that launched in the seventies is still one of the more profitable brands under Unilever's portfolio. In fact, it's the largest skin whitening cream in the world. The Indian community believes the paler you are, the more beautiful you are. And this is where things get confusing.

Pumpkin season is upon us, which means it's only a matter of days before the we get hit in the face with the smells and flavours of everything pumpkin spice. Your body washes, airfresheners, alcohol, cookies and creamers. And that's only in Canada.